Veterans With Mesothelioma | Military Mesothelioma

Veterans With Mesothelioma | Military Mesothelioma

Legal Representation For Military Mesothelioma Sufferers

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Veterans of any branch of the United States military have offered brave, selfless service to the country. Sadly, in performing certain duties, many veterans were exposed to asbestos, which is a toxic, carcinogenic substance. Asbestos was widely used on ships and other military vessels before it was banned in 1979. When the mineral’s fibers are inhaled, they can cause permanent damage to a person’s lungs. Mesothelioma is an aggressive and rare form of cancer that has been linked to asbestos exposure, yet because it takes decades for the condition to be diagnosed there is typically little that can be done to identify the source of exposure.

For veterans who are diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is often somewhat easier to determine the source of exposure as many specific duties placed servicemen and women in direct contact with asbestos.

Serving the country in the military comes with inherent risk, but many veterans were unknowingly exposed to hidden dangers when working in certain capacities where asbestos was present. Those whose service involved the following are more likely than others to have been exposed:

Piping/Plumbing

Drywall

Shipbuilding

Siding and tiling

Asbestos Risk for Navy Veterans

Asbestos has affected Navy veterans more than any other military branch. When naval ships were constructed, asbestos was used consistently because of its heat-resistant properties. The confined spaces where sailors lived and the lack of ventilation increased their exposure to asbestos dust and fibers. Navy vets have the highest percentage chance of developing mesothelioma among all other military branches.

Here are some of the naval jobs that exposed sailors to asbestos:

Boiler Tech

Shipbuilder

Electrician

Pipefitter

Welder

Machinist

Steelworker

Seabees

Control man

Gunners Mate

Fireman

Marine Corps Veterans and Mesothelioma

Marines were also incredibly vulnerable to asbestos exposure. The toxic substance lined armored vehicles, planes, and ships that provided transportation to battle zones In addition, the bases where they lived and trained were covered in the toxic chemical as well.

Marine Corps mechanics and repairmen were among the service members who unknowingly worked with crumbling asbestos. For that reason, service members in these positions often risked the most exposure to form of airborne dust and particles.

Army Veterans and Mesothelioma

Asbestos exposure occurred for Army service members during the 20th century mostly in buildings where the ate, slept and worked. In many of these buildings, the substance covered pipes, flooring, roofing materials, as well as insulation and cement foundations.

Even though asbestos use in new constructions ended by the late 1970s, the substance remained in Army Installations decades later. Over several decades, 32 military bases were shut down and on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund list of worst toxic waste sites. The bases required an estimated $1 billion environmental cleanup.

Air Force Exposure to Asbestos

Much like every other branch of the military, US Air Force servicemen and women flew aircraft that used asbestos as an insulator. The substance provided much-needed heat protection in the cockpit, heat shields, and overall insulation. Similar to mechanics across the five branches, mechanics were at the highest risk of inhaling fibers. Pilots were also at an increased risk because they were sitting in cockpits covered in the substance.

US Coast Guard Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos exposure to Coast Guard members comes from the fact that manufacturers used the substance liberally throughout much of the 20th century. Notably, there was some concern about the dangers of asbestos as far back as World War II. However, because of the pressing threat of fires on ships, builders ignored the concerns because of the substances’ benefits. As a result, gaskets, boiler room equipment, pumps, turbines, electrical insulation, pipes, and plumbing all contained the product. Asbestos fiber was even woven through the ropes used throughout ships. Ships weren’t the only place where exposure occurred, housing structures and buildings around Coast Guard bases also contained the substance.

In recent years, the Coast Guard has taken extra steps to protect its members from asbestos exposure. For example, members moving into any structure built before 1981, they must sign a Disclosure of Environmental Health Hazards in Coast Guard Housing contract.

Compensation For Veterans With Mesothelioma

Vets who developed mesothelioma and other asbestos-related conditions after exposure to asbestos in the military qualify for special financial benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including disability compensation, special monthly compensation, and service-connected death benefits for surviving family members.

An approved mesothelioma VA claim provides much-needed help for veterans such as access to treatment at any facility in the VA network.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.